Group Cites Alabama In Award

Built as a hotel at 1602 Alabama Drive on Lake Maitland, the condominium is a typical example of a resort hotel built in Florida during the 1920s boom period.

Although its California Mission style has some architectural significance, the Alabama's real importance is its social history.

The four-story winter resort hotel once had 68 rooms including two fifth- story penthouses. It was the destination of ambassadors, conductor Leopold Stokowski, authors Sinclair Lewis, Margaret Mitchell and Thornton Wilder, and other prominent people.

Joseph Kronenberger, a Cleveland real estate developer, bought the old Temple estate in 1920 with the intention of building a resort hotel that would attract wealthy persons who would buy lots from him in a subdivision around the hotel.

Construction began in 1921 and was completed in 1924. As part of that, the Temple House was moved to the east and the Refectory, which has a basement, remained in place to serve as the hotel's kitchen.

The Alabama was a seasonal hotel until 1979 when it was converted into 19 condominium units and the Refectory into a clubhouse. Two out-buildings were also converted into living units.

There was a strong effort in the design and construction to retain the hotel's original image. Some front porch areas were enclosed, but the refurbished facade retained the old arrangement of windows, stucco exterior and its covering of wandering fig.

-- Some things die hard or just keep being resurrected.

City Commissioner David Johnston Tuesday asked the city attorney and city manager to look into the possibility of hiring a public safety director to oversee the police and fire departments.

The commission was hot on that idea about two years ago, along with creating public safety officers trained in police and fire functions, but the topic cooled after city officials visited two North Carolina cities that had combined departments.

Now, with Police Chief Raymond Beary acting as fire chief since the resignation of Fire Chief Mike Molthop, the idea seems to have found its time. The only question is, would Johnston even consider the idea if he didn't have Beary in mind for the job?

''Sometimes specific individuals, in their abilities, lend one to think of creating a position to take advantage of those qualities,'' Johnston said Friday. ''If the city were to create a position I would be strongly in favor of seeing that position offered to Chief Beary.''

Johnston said he wanted to emphasize that he is not advocating the creation of public safety officers. ''I think that idea has sort of died,'' he said.

''I want to consider during the budget process the creation of a new position within the city called the director of public safety who would be responsible for the police and fire departments.''

While Johnston is making his pitch for a two-hatted chief, the personnel department is sifting through the 37 applications it has received for the fire chief's job.

In addition to many Florida applicants, people from Wisconsin, Missouri, Maryland, Colorado, Ohio, New York, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Arizonia and South Carolina seem to have found the idea of commanding a department of 45 employees in an 8-square-mile Florida city quite attractive.

Personnel director John Litton said he expects many more applications and does not plan to begin sorting them until after Sept. 1.

-- Commissioner Johnston, who announced he would not seek re-election to a third commission term, said he is considering a run for mayor next year if Mayor Hope Strong Jr. does not run.